Georgia

Georgia pushed non-Euro-zone NATO to help them begin the NATO admission process, and now we know why.

The most interesting aspect of this war is the media component. We have televised Russian defense ministry meetings so Medvedev can grandstand for the Russian population. Russia announces a cease fire and then continues to bomb Georgia. Interestingly enough, there was a cyberspace campaign aimed at Georgia starting weeks ago, which seems to muddy the waters a bit with respect to pinning the start of aggression on Saakashvili. And Estonia, which has its own experience with Russia's cyberimperialism, is contributing to Georgia's cyberdefense.

Meanwhile, NATO, and in particular the US, is left to verbally condemn Russia and demand they withdraw back to the renegade provinces, and the best the US can do is airlift a few Georgian troops home. Because what else can do about it? We're already tied down looking for WMDs in Iraq. And Russia knows it.

On a personal note, this makes Russia so far the only world power that in the 21st century has been involved in military action on its borders. You can't say that even about my favorite target China. Now I understand why the consultants in Russia in my company's drug studies need such extensive Force Majeure clauses in their contracts. Now, time to wait for this to reverse our small relief at the gas pumps.